Small-Ball Antidote???

[KillerLeft]

Ghost’s post in the trade thread got me thinking about the new-philosophy Mavs and how the current roster is built. Makes me want to ask these questions:

1. Which team in the league is better equipped to match up against small ball than this Mavs fivesome, Kyrie, Luka, DJJ, PJ, Maxi? (I suspect the answer is no one, not even close). 

2. Will playoff teams even try to play small against these Mavs? (If I’m Denver or Minny, I sure as hell wouldn’t. Not even sure who would.)

What do my comrades think?

The Mavs will 100% see some centerless basketball against the clippers in the first round. Lou is a target coach, so the flipside is that he hates switching, because he thinks it makes it easier for other teams to play target basketball against him. However, as we have seen many times, there is just only so long you can allow Luka to torture Zubac before you have to pull him. 

It’s important to understand that not every case of small ball by the opponent necessitates a small ball counter by the Mavericks.

Also, small ball might be best utilized by the Mavericks as a strategy, not a counter, in cases where the other team wants to play big. For example, I would absolutely plan to play some small ball against Minnesota. That is by far the easiest way to defeat them, in my humble opinion.